Jumping hoop toy



Feb. 1969 K. L. CHARBONNET 3,

JUMPING HOOP TOY Filed July 16, 1965 INVENTOR Killian L. Charbonnet United States Patent Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A toy device providing an adjustable belt to encircle the body of a user, a self supporting hoop surrounding and spaced from the belt and connected to the belt by radial elastic members at spaced intervals.

This invention relates to toys and particularly to a toy to be worn on a portion of the body such as the waist or head and which moves vertically and circumferentially about the body portion to which it is attached. The device provides exercise as well as amusement and is designed to provide a large amount of movement of the device with a small movement of the wearers body.

In a preferred embodiment, I provide adjustable belt means adapted to encircle a portion of the body of a user, self supporting 'hoop means surrounding and spaced from the belt means and radial elastic members connecting the belt and hoop means at equally spaced intervals. Preferably, the radial elastic members are rubber and radiate like the spokes of a wheel from the belt means to the hoop means which is preferably of tubular plastic. Preferably, the belt means is rubber and of a fixed length when not under tension. The radial elastic members are attached to the belt means by fasteners which project through small holes equally spaced around the circumference of the belt means. The belt means adjusts for different sized users by stretching over its entire length, maintaining the equal spacing of the attachments of the radial elastic members. Preferably, the ends of the belt are held together by a button means which maintains the same elasticity of the belt means up to and including the coupling as in all other segments of the belt means. Preferably, the radial elastic means are connected to the hoop means by fasteners which project through radial holes equally spaced around the circumference of the hoop means.

In the foregoing general description, I have set out certain objects, purposes and advantages of my invention, which invention I have termed Jump-A-Hoop. Other objects, purposes and advantages of this invention will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings in which,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the toy of this invention, the Jump-A-Hoop, worn about the waist of a child and indicating in chain line the movement of the y;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the toy of this invention, the Jump-A-Hoop, worn about the head of a child and indicating in chain line the movement of the toy;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the toy of this invention, the Jump-A-Hoop;

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view of the fastening means on the belt of the device of FIGURES 1-3;

FIGURE 5 is an isometric view of the fastening means on the hoop of the device of FIGURES l-3; and

FIGURE 6 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of a fastening means between the radial elastic members and a belt means. This fastener is fashioned to slide on a nonelastic belt with a conventional buckle.

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated a hoop 10 3,425,690v Patented Feb. 4, 1969 ice made of light weight material such as tubular plastic, aluminum or the like which is self supporting, i.e., retains its shape. Fasteners 14 inserted radially into holes 34 equally spaced around the circumference of the hoop 10 are connected to one end each of a plurality, preferably six, of radial elastic members 11. The other ends of the radial elastic members 11 are connected to fasteners 12 adapted to protrude through holes 23 equally spaced around the circumference of the elastic belt 13 worn around a portion of the wearers body such as waist (FIGURE 1) or head (FIGURE 2). The hoop fasteners 14 are solid molded plastic, a button like base 31 surmounted by a cylindrical shaft 35 ending in a round head 30 with a hole 33 in it. The hoop fastener 14 is split 32 through the button base 31 into the hole 33. The belt fasteners 12 are solid molded plastic, a button like base 21 surmounted by a short cylindrical shaft 25 ending in a spherical [head 20 with a hole 24 in it. The belt fastener 12 is split 22 through the button base 21 into the hole 24. The elastic belt 13 is coupled by a button like attachment 16 and has holes 23 equally spaced around its circumference. The hoop 10 has radial holes 34 equally spaced around its circumference. Whistle holes 15 are equally spaced around the circumference of the hoop 10.

When the wearer as in FIGURE 1 raises and lowers his waist rhythmically by jumping or bending his knees, the hoop 10 moves vertically alternately above and below the belt 13. The elastic members permit this movement to enlarge as the wearers movements increase as well as permitting circumferential movement of the hoop if the wearer rhythmically rotates his body in one direction and then the other. Small holes 15 drilled in the hoop 10 slightly off perpendicular to the plane of the hoop 10 give off a whistling sound when the hoop is in use. A similar movement is attained by the wearer having the belt on his head as in FIGURE 2.

In FIGURE 6, I have illustrated a second embodiment of the belt fastener. This fastener is onepiece molded plastic and is used with a nonelastic belt with a conventional buckle. A sleeve 40 surrounds the belt 50. A closed hook 41 surrounds hole 42. Radial elastic member 11 is looped into hole 42 by raising closed hook at cut 43.

It will be obvious that the hoop may be colored or may carry ribbons, spangles, whistling devices, bells or pin wheels all activated by its movement when in use.

In the foregoing specification, I have set out certain preferred embodiments of my invention. It will be understood, however, that this invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A toy device comprising adjustable belt means adapted to encircle a portion of the body of a user, self supporting integral circular hoop means surrounding and spaced from belt means and radial elastic members connecting belt and hoop means at equally spaced intervals, said belt means adjusting to the size of the user by stretching in length, said hoop means being adjustably fastened to said belt thereby maintaining equal spacing of the radial elastic members attached to it. I

2. A toy device comprising adjustable belt means adapted to encircle a portion of the body of a user, said belt means adjusting to the size of the user by stretching in length while maintaining equal spacing of radial elastic members attached to it, fastener means in equally spaced holes around the circumference of the belt means attached to one end of spaced radial elastic members, self supporting integral circular hoop means surrounding and spaced from belt means, fasteners in equally spaced radial holes in the circumference of hoop means attached to said radial elastic members and said radial elastic members connecting belt and hoop means at said fasteners at equally spaced intervals.

3. A toy device as in claim 2 wherein said hoop is pro vided with Whistle holes lying at an angle of a few degrees otf perpendicular to the plane of the hoop.

4. A toy device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said belt fastener is a semi-rigid closed form surrounding the radial elastic member, the fastener protruding through a hole in the belt and having a joining of its closed ends only on the inside of the belt at the farthest point from the radial elastic member, said closed ends openable only when the fastener and the radial elastic member are drawn back out of the hole in the belt in the direction opposite to the pull of the elastic member.

5. A toy device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said hoop fastener is a semi-rigid closed form surrounding the radial elastic member, the fastener protruding through a radial hole in the hoop and having a joining of its closed ends only on the outside of the hoop at the farthest point from the radial elastic member, said closed ends openable only when the fastener and the radial elastic member are drawn out of the hole in the hoop in the direction opposite from the pull of the elastic member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 46l; 272-80 

